This invention is related generally to light fixtures, and in particular, to a light fixture having an improved reflector for directing light therefrom.
Electrically-generated artificial light from lighting fixtures of various kinds is used for lighting large indoor spaces, such as in factories, warehouses, other commercial spaces and elsewhere. Providing excellent levels of illumination with minimal energy costs is a continuing important objective. As the cost of materials to produce the fixtures and lamps has increased and the cost of energy to run the fixtures has increased, it is important for end users to satisfy lighting needs, if possible, with fewer fixtures and less energy consumption.
A step toward energy economy is taken by the use of compact fluorescent lamps which are more energy efficient and relatively inexpensive when compared to other types of lamps.
Open-ended light fixtures (i.e. those with lamps which are not fully enclosed within a chamber) allow for direct transmission of light to surfaces to be illuminated without the need to pass through a lens of transparent or translucent material, and thus tend to be more energy efficient than light fixtures with enclosed lamps. Open-ended fixtures are generally preferred for lighting large indoor spaces. Open-ended fixtures tend to be less expensive to produce, are easier to maintain, remain somewhat cooler in operation, and do not lose luminosity to a lens. Given that lamps radiate light multi-directionally, a reflector is typically included in the fixture to capture and redirect light that would otherwise not be useful.
Many open-ended fixtures, especially those fixtures designed to receive one or more compact fluorescent lamps, leave the socket and base visible. While the reflector may be quite ornate, the sockets are designed for functionality and their appearance tends to detract from the aesthetics of the overall fixture. Further, for fixtures which use compact fluorescent lamps, the compact fluorescent lamps radiate generally radially (with respect to their lengths) regardless of their orientations with respect to the target area to be illuminated; therefore a significant portion of the light emitted from such lamps may not be efficiently used.
Certain prior art open-ended light fixtures have a plurality of compact fluorescent lamps arranged for efficient light dispersion and provide an alternative to light fixtures having high intensity discharge lamps. An example of a open-ended light fixture is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,086 (Tickner). The light fixture disclosed in the Tickner ""086 patent has several lamps which are inclined to be generally parallel to the concave surface of the reflector. Such configuration has aesthetic shortcomings because the socket structure and apparatus are exposed. Furthermore, such device has certain light loses by virtue of the fact that there is no light reflectance from the central region of the fixture.
There is a need for improved open-ended lighting fixtures which provide high efficiency in the use of light and which have improved aesthetics. There is also a need for improvement for light fixtures of the type which have plural compact fluorescent lamps as opposed to a single high intensity discharge lamp.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved lighting apparatus overcoming some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus which increases the ratio of light emitted from a light source to the light received by a target area to be illuminated.
Another object is to provide a socket cover which will shield from view the sockets which would otherwise be open for inspection.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a socket cover which will direct light to a target area rather than absorb the light.
As another object of this invention, this apparatus will provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance to the fixture.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a socket cover through which lamps may easily engage and disengage a socket.
Another object of this invention is to increase the useful reflectance of light from a fixture having several lamps.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following descriptions and from the drawings.
In accordance with the present invention, an improved lighting apparatus is provided. The lighting apparatus includes a main reflector member with an inner reflective surface for reflecting light to an area to be illuminated; a supplemental reflector member, which is smaller than the inner surface of the main reflector member; and a light source, which is preferably a plurality of electric lamps. The supplemental reflector member is removably attached with respect to the inner surface of the main reflector member. The light source is positioned such that a portion of the light emitted from the source will be reflected by the supplemental reflector member to the inner reflective surface of the main reflector member to the area to be illuminated. It is contemplated that the supplemental reflector member has a reflective surface which is convex.
As stated, while the light source may be a single light-emitting member, it is preferable for the light source to be a plurality of electric lamps which will engage an electricity source with a sufficient number of sockets to accommodate the number of lamps. The electricity source is attached with respect to the main reflector member. It is desirable for the supplemental reflector member to have apertures through which the lamps may be inserted to engage the sockets. In this way, the sockets are shielded from view by the supplemental reflector member and the lamps. The apertures are spaced apart on the surface of the supplemental reflector member in a predetermined grid pattern.
The lighting apparatus may use a compact fluorescent lamp as the at least one light-emitting member. The electricity source will have at least as many sockets as number of compact fluorescent lamps, and at least as many apertures as the number of sockets.
Each compact fluorescent lamp has an axis and the main reflector member has a primary axis. The sockets may be arranged such that when the compact fluorescent lamps are engaged with the sockets, the axes of the compact fluorescent lamps are parallel with each other and parallel with the primary axis of the main reflector. Alternatively, the sockets may be arranged such that when the compact fluorescent lamps are engaged with the sockets, the axes of the compact fluorescent lamps radiate outwardly from the primary axis of the main reflector member.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the lighting apparatus has a main reflector member with a base end of a first size and a light-emitting end of a second size larger than the first size, a support member attached to the base end of the main reflector member, a plurality of compact fluorescent lamps removably engaged with respect to the support member, and an electric power supply for supplying power to the lamps engaged with respect to the support member. The improvement includes a supplemental reflector member with a convex reflective surface, removably attached with respect to the support member and located within the main reflector member, the supplemental reflector member having apertures through which the lamps can be removably engaged with respect to the support member, configured and arranged such that a portion of light emitted from the lamps will be reflected from the supplemental reflector member to the main reflector member for reflection onto an area to be illuminated.